Chirp enabled cell phones

[+zuma!]

I understand that some cell phones have ANT+ technology that with an ap can communicate with chirps.  Is this true? And how do you make it work?

(I used to have a Colorado that worked with Chirps.)

thanks,

zuma

[+thebruce0]

I'm not sure there are any smartphones that come with ANT+, but you might be able to find a compatible accessory. Unfortunately for iphone the latest official Wahoo ANT+ accessory used the 30pin adapter, they didn't make a Lightning version for the 5 or up. You could use a 30pin-lightning adapter though I believe.  If you're not iphone, then I haven't checked those options.

[+Mineral2]

I think most Android phones come with ANT+ built in.

https://www.thisisant.com/consumer/ant-101/ant-in-phones

You then have to find an app that is compatible with chirp.

[+Team Christiansen]

I found a Garmin Chirp app in Google's Play Store and installed it on my Pixel 2. But trying to use it, I discovered that it requires built-in ANT hardware which obviously is not in my Pixel 2 or an external adapter.

[+Viajero Perdido]

I threw up my hands in frustration and gave up.

This was back when I cached with my Nexus 5, which runs Android 6.  Built-in hardware, check.  Support by the Locus Map app I use for caching, check.  Three ANT-related driver apps, hmm.  Root my phone and install one more app ($), FORGET IT.

It was something to do with ANT not being enabled by default in my install of Android, even though the company that designed the hardware (Google) was identical to the company that designed the OS running on it.

I can live quite happily without Chirp.

[+Mineral2]

Well, that might be a consideration as I had my eyes on a Pixel 2. Then again, I still have my two GPS units to use. Looks like LG does not include Ant+ in their phones either. But Samsung and Sony do.

[+Mineral2]

4 minutes ago, Viajero Perdido said:

This was back when I cached with my Nexus 5, which runs Android 6.  Built-in hardware, check.

Are you sure Ant+ was built into the Nexus 5? The Nexus phones weren't built by Google. One was designed and manufactured by LG and the other by Motorola. According to the link in my post above, neither LG nor Motorola built Ant+ into their phones.

[+Viajero Perdido]

I was sure at the time, but - ahem - I've been wrong before, and I reserve the right to be wrong again. 

It's been a while, so my memory is foggy on the details.

[+kunarion]

22 hours ago, zuma! said:

I understand that some cell phones have ANT+ technology that with an ap can communicate with chirps.  Is this true? And how do you make it work?

(I used to have a Colorado that worked with Chirps.)

thanks,

zuma

Samsung brand tablets and phones have ANT+ built-in. You only need to install the App that supports “Chirp”, and maybe a couple of radio “services”. The Apps seem pretty terrible (they feel experimental), but they can access Chirp to read and program it.

My Samsung tablets work with the ANT+ Sampler (replaced by "Chirp", I think) and the Locus Maps Pro App. My HTC U11 allows me to set up the apps but never finds the Chirp.

I bought a USB ANT+ dongle for my Acer A500 a few years ago. That worked.  If ANT+ isn't built-in, search for an "USB ANT+ Adapter" and see if one fits your phone.  Advance research is good.  It still may not work.

If you program the Chirp from a Garmin GPS, other Garmin GPSs can read the data. You can then slightly edit the data using an App and that works OK.

Beware that if you program a Chirp using an App alone, the Garmin GPS may not be able to read it. A Garmin GPS is looking for a particular format.

Edited May 1, 2018 by kunarion

[+JohnCNA]

11 hours ago, zuma! said:

I understand that some cell phones have ANT+ technology that with an ap can communicate with chirps.  Is this true? And how do you make it work?

(I used to have a Colorado that worked with Chirps.)

thanks,

zuma

I have used the "Chirp" app on a Samsung Galaxy 6 and 8. It works very well. Running concurrently with my Garmin GPSMAP 64st, most of the time my phone picks up the signal a few seconds before the 64 does. 

[+Atlas Cached]

My Samsung Galaxy S5 Active and S6 Active both read chirps just fine using the "Chirp" app from the play store.

[+BigFurryMonster]

A 'chirp' cache just got published in my area.

 

Do I understand correctly that I need to either switch to a GPS device that can read its signal, or buy a hardware extension to my iPhone?  (I don't own an Android phone)

 

BFM

[+MartyBartfast]

11 minutes ago, BigFurryMonster said:

A 'chirp' cache just got published in my area.

 

Do I understand correctly that I need to either switch to a GPS device that can read its signal, or buy a hardware extension to my iPhone?  (I don't own an Android phone)

 

BFM

That's correct,  though some Chirp caches also have an alternative way of working out the co-ords (e.g. a puzzle) so have a careful look at the cache page.

 

 

[+StevesPewterThings]

For Android users, there are 3rd party apps that can be used such as Chirp.  I'm about to give my first one of these a go.

Edited May 6, 2019 by StevesPewterThings

[+longwhatton34]

Would a USB Ant+ stick and Lightning OTG cable work? 

[+Mineral2]

It's not just a matter of would it work. It might make the ant+ device connect to the iOS device. But if no iOS devices ever have had ant+ built in, it's unlikely that an app has been made to work with an ant+ signal.

[+longwhatton34]

I have been trying to use a Google Pixel 2 with Ant+ adapter and USB OTG cable. Something is happening (using THREE different apps) as it will search but doesn't find anything. Short of going to try it on a Chirp cache I have already found so as to rule out a problem with the phone/attachments, is there any other way of working out what the issue is?

[+Atlas Cached]

2 hours ago, longwhatton34 said:

I have been trying to use a Google Pixel 2 with Ant+ adapter and USB OTG cable. Something is happening (using THREE different apps) as it will search but doesn't find anything. Short of going to try it on a Chirp cache I have already found so as to rule out a problem with the phone/attachments, is there any other way of working out what the issue is?

 

What are you searching for? Is a chirp nearby?

[+longwhatton34]

On 4/26/2020 at 6:27 PM, Atlas Cached said:

 

What are you searching for? Is a chirp nearby?

Yes. I tried it today on a Chirp I have found before. All three apps searched but couldn't find anything, so I know it's some sort of hardware issue now rather than one with the Chirp I can't find. I just need to work out what the problem is. Or try a different phone.

[+Atlas Cached]

How do you know the chirp is transmitting or responding? Have you tried with a Garmin GPSr to verify the chirp is functional?

[+kunarion]

2 hours ago, longwhatton34 said:

Yes. I tried it today on a Chirp I have found before. All three apps searched but couldn't find anything, so I know it's some sort of hardware issue now rather than one with the Chirp I can't find. I just need to work out what the problem is. Or try a different phone.

You may need to be pretty close to the Chirp to communicate with it.    But it should be placed in a way that even a Geocacher doesn’t find the actual device, so it might be tough to know how to get close to it.  
 

One of my Chirps operates in a range of about 20 feet.  I don’t use that one in the field.  On my cache I had two so I could swap them, and one had a range of 60 feet, the other over 80.  I would camo duct-tape mine to a branch of a bush, about 4 feet off the ground, away from anything that might cause signal problems.